First reading of the Draft Act amending the Basic Schools and Upper Secondary Schools Act and the Vocational Educational Institutions Act (404 SE)
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 4th session, plenary sitting
Date: 2024-09-19 14:08
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 30
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 33m
AI Summaries: 30/30 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The first thematic section addressed the increase in the state's share of school lunch funding within the framework of the first reading of Bill 404, initiated by the Estonian Centre Party faction, which proposed amendments to the Basic Schools and Upper Secondary Schools Act and the Vocational Educational Institutions Act. The former practice, whereby the state paid 1 euro per student per day for school lunch, no longer corresponded to the rise in inflation and the cost of living. The increased expenditures led to higher additional costs for local municipalities and increased participation by parents in covering the cost of school meals. The bill's objective was to set a minimum rate of 2 euros per day for the state's contribution, and during the discussion, the possibility of using a digital tax or other sources to cover the necessary additional financing was also raised. Spokespersons recalled earlier discussions from 2022 and the recommendations made by youth organizations and associations, emphasizing the need to ensure the quality and accessibility of school lunches.
The second topic covered the Culture Committee's preparation for the first reading of the same bill and the committee's preliminary discussion on the bill's financing, held on May 7, 2024. The Culture Committee found that although the goal was the quality of youth meals and healthy eating, the bill's financing of 30 million euros in the state budget was unclear, and the government had decided not to support the bill on April 25, 2024. The Committee adopted a decision to reject the bill during the first reading and placed the presentation on the agenda for May 15, 2024, but with 4 votes against and 2 in favor, it was decided to reject the bill.
Decisions Made 1
Bill 404 is rejected at the first reading. 36 in favor, 7 opposed, 0 abstentions. The Bill is dropped from the proceedings.
Most Active Speaker
The most active speaker was Vadim Belobrovtsev (Centre Party), a member of the Riigikogu faction; position: centrist/other (centre). He presented the first reading of the draft bill and responded to questions, providing a central summary focusing on the impact of inflation, the role of local governments and parents, and the intentions for financing the draft bill.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
We are now moving on to the third item on the Riigikogu agenda, which is the first reading of Bill 404, the Act on Amendments to the Basic Schools and Upper Secondary Schools Act and the Vocational Educational Institutions Act, initiated by the Estonian Centre Party faction. Vadim Belobrovtsev has been invited as the rapporteur.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Vadim Belobrovtsev proposed raising the state's contribution for school lunches from 1 euro to 2 euros per student per day, arguing that inflation has increased costs and many local governments and school caterers are asking parents for extra money. He also called for the bill to proceed to a second reading to discuss potential funding sources (such as a bank tax, optimization of the state apparatus, or a digital tax).
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi expresses his thanks, announces that there are questions, and invites Aleksandr Tšaplõgin to take the floor.
Aleksandr Tšaplõgin
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
He expresses doubt about what can be bought today for 1 euro, and asks how schools are managing to deal with it.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Vadim Belobrovtsev emphasized that the addition of 1 euro to the school lunch price does not solve the problem, and increasing the state's participation is necessary to reduce the burden on parents and avoid the impact resulting from the limited budgets of local governments.
Aleksei Jevgrafov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Aleksei Jevgrafov notes that the guide "Child's Nutrition and Body Weight," financed by the Estonian Health Insurance Fund (Eesti Haigekassa), emphasizes that healthy balanced nutrition and sufficient physical activity are the correct way to maintain a child's normal body weight. However, regarding the sample meals for schoolchildren provided on page 9, the question arises whether this can be guaranteed for 1, 2, or 4 euros.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The Deputy Chairman called upon Aleksei Yevgrafov to speak.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
The core idea is that if the state contributes only one euro, the local municipality adds very little, and parents do not participate, then, given the current inflation, the school caterer may cut costs by sacrificing quality. This endangers children's health, which is why the draft bill proposes guaranteeing a high-quality school lunch.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
To start the address, Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart is called to the stage.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
The speaker emphasizes that although the sugar tax debate and the resulting promises were tied to improving children's health, the coalition has not supported proposals similar to ours—be it lowering the VAT on local fruits and vegetables or increasing funding for school sports and extracurricular activities—and the bill to increase funding for school meals was also left unsupported in the committee, which raises the question of whether the coalition actually cares about children's health.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Belobrovtsev complains that the coalition often votes down good ideas proposed by the opposition, even when those ideas are apolitical and necessary. He suggests that if a specific draft bill is unsuitable, the coalition should propose a measure with similar content—for instance, increasing the state's contribution toward school lunches to one and a half euros, a measure the opposition would be ready to support.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
He thanks the audience and announces that there are no further questions.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
The speech was simply the word of thanks: "Thank you!"
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi called upon Kadri Tali, a member of the Culture Committee, to the Riigikogu podium to deliver the report on behalf of the lead committee.
Kadri Tali
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Kadri Tali detailed the discussion held by the Culture Committee concerning draft bill 404, which aimed to establish a minimum cost of 2 euros per student per day for school lunch. She reported that the committee decided to reject the bill by a vote of 4 to 2.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Toomas Kivimägi thanks and invites questions, subsequently calling upon Aleksei Jevgrafov.
Aleksei Jevgrafov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
He noted that the Health Insurance Fund's guidelines specify that school lunch must cover 35% of a child's daily nutritional and energy requirements, and asked whether the committee's decision helps guarantee that level or if there are any other suggestions.
Kadri Tali
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
The Commission did not discuss this specific issue, but if it is raised, local governments always have the option to contribute greater funding toward school lunches.
Aleksandr Tšaplõgin
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
He thanks the session chair and the presenter, and asks directly whether they could feed their child for one euro, requesting an explanation of how this is possible.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The announcement requests that Aleksandr Chaplygin be invited to the stage.
Kadri Tali
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Kadri Tali said that it is not included in the report by the commission's rapporteur, but she is ready to share it with you.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Vladimir Arhipov is invited to the stage.
Vladimir Arhipov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vladimir Arhipov asks whether the commission has discussed the idea that the school meal subsidy should not be limited to just 2 euros, but should perhaps be a different amount, given that local authorities usually cover the difference, and this is particularly difficult to manage in poorer regions. Has any other amount been considered, or is the stance simply: 1 euro and that’s final?
Kadri Tali
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
This topic was not addressed in this committee discussion, even though the discussion took place on May 7, 2024. Since then, there have been six opportunities to bring it up, but holding the discussion has remained impossible.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi thanks the participants, states that there are no further questions, and opens the negotiations on behalf of the Estonian Centre Party faction.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart stresses that increasing state funding for school meals is crucial in the current inflationary environment. She notes that the coalition is prioritizing collecting payments from families rather than focusing on the welfare of children and youth, despite the fact that viable solutions—which include a digital tax and support from local municipalities—are available and are specifically aimed at improving healthy nutrition and the overall coping capacity of young people.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Toomas Kivimägi requests that the meeting be extended by three minutes.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Addressing the complexity of youth independence caused by high real estate prices, and the resulting delay of key milestones—starting a family and having children—the Centre Party asserts that child allowance, along with support for school sports and hobby education, and school lunch subsidies, are essential components of the social security families need. Since the current coalition has failed to support these draft laws, the party is requesting support for the bill to guarantee stability for families, young people, and local municipalities.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
He concludes the debate and announces that, during the first reading of Bill 404, the proposal of the leading committee must be rejected and the matter put to a vote.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The Riigikogu voted on Bill 404: 36 were in favor, 7 were against, and there were no abstentions. Consequently, the bill lapses from the proceedings, and the sitting is adjourned.